Promise of the Sword
by Bugg18
Summary: Kuina is dead. Its what they thought anyway. But Im very much alive. Forced to leave home behind to keep everyone safe, Im forced to become a skilled assassin for Baroque Works. However, the promise of a sword is once again brought forth, when I find I must eliminate the person who gave me hope for my dream, and his friends. Will I kill him? Or will I uphold the promise ZoroXKuina


Chapter 1 – Dead Alive

As I flung the fresh blood from my sword, I took in the faces of the men I had just killed. They all failed their mission, and decided to defect from the company, leaving me with no choice but to kill them on orders of the boss.

We're a crime company called Baroque Works. Run by one man no one, but a select few know the identity of. Being the assassin for the agents who defect, or break a company law, I know who the bastard is. And let me tell you, he is one scary, resorceful son of a bitch. He knows all sorts of ways to get under your skin, and how to get to you, to get you to do what he wants, no matter what choices you may _think_ you have...

Sheathing my sword, I made sure the mask I wore was in place before I turned and left the small building. Once I was outside, I lit a match, and tossed it into the oil I had laid out before I had stormed the building. In no time, a good inferno had engulfed the warehouse.

Making a hasty exit, I then made my way for the harbor. Slowing down once I was a good ways away from the fire, I watched as the curious people all around me went in the direction I had come from. Ignoring them, I eventually made it to the harbor.

Reaching my boat, I paused as I saw one of the last people I wanted to see for a while.

"Mr. 0 sends his congratulations on a successful hunt Miss. 13." Miss. All Sunday, the boss' partner said from where she sat cross legged on the edge of my boat.

"What do you want Miss. All Sunday? Boss have _another_ job for me?" I asked her sarcastically, ignoring what she had said. Death was nothing to celebrate, and hearing that made me not only hate what I was doing more, but myself as well.

"No... Mr. 0 just asked me to observe your work. He wanted me to take inventory of our number agent's abilities, and if they can still do their jobs properly." Miss. All Sunday said, as she smiled down at me. "I'm sure he'll be pleased to hear that our company's assassin is still proficient in her work."

Scoffing at her words, I climbed up on my ship, and brushed past the cold and calculating woman. Miss. All Sunday was the only other member of Baroque Works who knew the identity of the boss, aka Mr. 0. Not to mention, that I also know her true identity as well, and she also knows mine.

Seeing my lack of response, she decided to take an approach that would get a rise out of me.

"Aren't you happy that your home town in the East Blue will be safe another day? Huh... Kuina...?" She asked, as I felt my hand immediately go for the sword strapped to my back. Glaring at her over my shoulder, I gave her a silent warning to either shut up, or learn to use her hana hana fruit powers to grow a head to replace the one I would sever from her pretty neck.

Smiling softly at me, she then let _that_ dangerous subject drop completely. I felt a shiver run down my spine like I did each time she would smile after I gave her that kind of look. This woman barely had any attachments to this life. Then again, if you know anything about Devil's Child Nico Robin, then you know that her entire life since the age of eight has been pure hell. Kind of like mine, only, I was a bit older than she was when I was forced to leave home.

"My apologies... I just thought that you would be happy..." she apologized, as she jumped from my boat to her huge turtle she rides around here in the Grand Line.

"Mr. 0 wishes for you to return to headquarters." She said, before she motioned for her turtle to head out.

Watching them go, I felt what was left of my anger disappear. Looking up at the night sky, I could see that I still had a bit of moon light left to escape by. So I untied my boat, and headed out.

Once I made sure I was heading in the right direction for Alabasta, I sat with my back against the mast after pulling my sword from my back. Looking down at the black handle and sheath, I couldn't help but think back to a similar _white _sword... The Wado Ichimonji.

Back home, I had left that sword behind when I was forced to leave the village for the whims of a nasty character. A nasty character who held a powerful influence in the world. Hearing of my skills against any opponent with a sword, the boss of this organization immediately wanted me in as an assassin to dispose of defective and traitorous members; or those who learn things that they shouldn't. Like the identity of Mr. 0. Who also happens to be one of the governments _trusted_ pirates; Crocodile, one of the seven warlords of the sea.

In other words, he's a government approved pirate who was doing nothing but ripping them off. Which I found I couldn't complain about, because I quickly found out that most of the marines happen to be very crocked. Some even more so than the bastard I'm currently working for...

_No... I'm enslaved to..._ I mentally corrected myself, as I suddenly remembered all of the things that bastard had done to break me. You won't believe the things he loved to do to people to get them to bend to his will. It was even worse if he wanted your skills, and knew they were still in development.

Either way, I'm just happy that he won't let me near his precious gators again. Last time he used them on me as a fear factor, I ended up slicing one in half. The beating from him was harsh, but it was worth it to see that smug ass grin being wiped from his face... For once I was happy to have my new companion, the Kurozunda Chi.

Though I still feel sorry for the poor gator, but it was a matter of life and death. The dang thing would have eaten me whole in one swallow...

Knowing that my thoughts would only cause me to break something, I gripped tightly to my sword, and thought back to my days back home in my father's dojo...

Then, as that thought crossed my mind, the thought of another did as well, as I felt tears welling up in my eyes. The night Baroque Works came to collect me, I could have cared less if they burned the entire village down; but I found that I couldn't let them hurt _him..._

Not only had he yet to beat me, but we had just made a promise to see who would make it to the top. So, in the end, to spare him, and my father, I agreed to go with the evil people; but only if their leader swore to never lay a hand on my home.

A few minutes had gone by as they talked it over with their boss, who had agreed, but warned me that if I should betray him; then my village would pay the price with its people's lives, but that I would be the last to die...

Hanging my head in shame, I whispered the same words I had that night before I was knocked out, and dragged away.

"Forgive me... Zoro..." I whispered, as I dosed off.

…...

_Whiskey Peek..._

As I went to take a huge drink of alcohol, I paused as I suddenly sneezed. I looked up to where that poor bastard dark brow sat talking about _women_ of all things. If he didn't look so stupid right now, then I would have sworn that he was talking shit about me right now.

Glancing over at the money hog known as Nami, I saw her asking the weird mayor guy about the town.

Luffy was eating the poor place into starvation.

And Ussop was spinning off some tail. Sounded like he was talking about how _he_ beat Kuro back in his home village with very little help. While it wasn't true, it wasn't talking shit in the least.

Taking a sip of my drink, I then caught a glimpse of my treasured sword, the Wado Ichimonji. Sensing it's aura, I felt a sad pang coming from it. Or was it me who felt it?

Reaching down, I placed my hand over the sword who use to belong to _her._ As I looked down at it, I couldn't help but wonder what it would have been like if Kuina had survived the horrible attack another dojo had cowardly pulled upon her to get revenge for loosing against her father's...

To this day, no one knows which dojo it was. It was clear that the worst nemesis our dojo had couldn't have done it. All of it's members had been on a completely different island for a dojo competition.

Mentally shrugging my shoulder, I put it aside. After all, the crew and I were in a nest of bounty hunters who pretended to be villagers. When in reality, even that cover was fake. I was sure of it...

The wacky code names seemed so familiar of that organization that had tried to get me to join with them. I said no of course, only to find out that it was either join or be killed. Poor bastards hadn't even stood a chance...

Making sure that no one was looking my way, I discretely dumped what was left of my drink out the open window. Understand though, I love booze, so under normal circumstances, I'd never do this. However, the second I tasted it, I knew it had been spiked with a sleeping powder.

Glancing around, I tried to see any signs that the others knew what was going on. Only to see no signs at all. Sighing heavily, I started formulating my plan to take solo action. Grinning slightly, I found that I couldn't wait.

And if the excited humming from Kitetsu was anything to go by, then neither could it...

_Later That Night..._

Snagging a bottle of non tainted booze from what was left of the building below me, I opened it and took a swig in celebration of a great work out against all of those Baroque Works goons. The hardest one to beat had been the mayor, or as he called himself, Mr. 8.

Mr. 9 was a joke, seeing as he not only jumped off a building, but turned his own weapon into a factor I could use against him.

Then there was that creepy ass dance that Miss. Wednesday tried to pull off. To anybody on the sidelines, they would have thought that her little dance was what was paralyzing me. When in reality, it was that damn perfume she had in her hand. Not to mention that duck of hers didn't take orders very well.

After a while of peace and quite, it suddenly came to a violent end, as it had started.

Down below me, two more Baroque freaks showed up claiming that they were here to get rid of Miss. Wednesday and Mr. 8 for being spies from a kingdom called Alabasta!?

"This will be interesting... I left Luffy down there." I thought out loud, as I spotted my moronic captain down there snoring away.

If I'd only known that the damn navigator would make me cut snot on Kuina's sword when I went down there, then I would have gone back to where the other two idiots were, and drank myself to sleep...

…...

_Kuina..._

Making sure my features were completely covered, I quietly entered the casino the boss had built in Nanohana. To normal eyes, the placed looked like a normal casino. However, those who got access to the VIP room knew that the back and sub levels were a completely different story. This was the HQ for Baroque Works. The place where the boss would give you his orders via Miss. All Sunday.

Being a pirate warlord, he couldn't afford to be seen by the Baroque Works members. People would know who he was instantly. Then word would get out, and is cover will be blown.

Have I thought about exposing him?

Yes I have, but I haven't done it. Why...? Because he would have enough time to do damage by the time the marines decided that the info they received _might_ be legitimate...

The boss' former partner before Miss. All Sunday had tried that, and lets say that he was never believed. That lesson told me that they weren't the best option.

Besides, the way I am now, I'd be considered a pirate, and more than likely to be sent to impel down to wait for my execution. It wouldn't happen if Crocodile would keep it quite, but if he gets caught, I know that he wouldn't keep his mouth shut.

Besides, that place was no joke. I'd been there before, when I was a kid. It was how Crocodile broke me. After I was first taken away at the age of evleven I had been sent to Level Seven, also known as the Carnival of the Dead. It was the final level of Impel Down. The place where the worst of the worst were sent. People who had become nothing but animals were down there, being what they were best...

Serial Killers of all sorts, and others who were strong yet mental and psychopathic. Making them too dangerous even for guards to be around. And there I was, a little lamb for them to kill, and with a blade to gut her with...

The boss had said it was training. If I leanred how to survive down here in this nasty place, then I would learn how to kill whomever he needed me to, or those who pissed him off.

As this thought crossed my mind, I felt myself freeze in the hallway, as I tried to empty my mind of those horrific days and nights. And what was done to me before I snapped and went crazy myself...

Shaking my head, I continued on my way. If the boss thought I was loosing my touch, he'd more than likely send me after some guy that would nearly kill me before I could gut him, or back to that hell hole.

Reaching the VIP room, I opened the door, and quietly shut it behind me. On one of the loungers, sad Miss. All Sunday with that creepy fake smile of hers. Really, did she think he was fooling _everyone_? Then again, I fooled everyone here but her...

"Welcome back Miss. 13... Mr. 0 is waiting for you." She said, as she stood to her feet, and walked over to the wall. Hitting a hidden panel, the wall slid open into a long and narrow hallway. Barely big enough for two people to walk down it.

"After you Miss. 13." She said, as she motioned for me to take the lead. Smart woman...

Never let an assassin walk behind you anywhere unless you know you're a friend. All because you'll never know when you'll be cut down. A few weeks ago, the boss told me not to get too attached to this woman. He said that once his plan comes to pass, then she will be leaving this world.

"You know, I met the most interesting people a few days ago..." Robin began, as we walked down the dark hall way. "The captain seems like a cheerful one, until you take his hat... However, the first mate... He reminds me of you in a way..." She continued, as she glanced over at me.

"He had three swords on him... I believe one was the Kitestu III." Robin paused, as she tried to remember something. Looking over at her with interest for once, I waited for her to remember.

The three Kitestu were all very dangerous, and very much cursed swords. In fact, they are sibling swords with my Kurozunda Chi, which would be their little sister...

"One had a simple black sheath, and the last one had a white sheath. It looked like one of the twenty one Wados... I wonder how this man could use three swords at one time. I heard he was famous for it back in the East Blue." Robin finished, as it took all I had to just blink at her.

_The last sword she mentioned... I have no doubt of it, that had to be the Wado Ichimonji._ I thought, as I continued to walk. I had always wondered what had happened to my precious sword. I had wondered if my father had buried it with me, or passed it on to another member of our family. Only for it to turn out that he did neither, but gave it to Zoro...

_She said that she met them a few days ago... Did that mean that he and the crew he was with were gone?_ I thought to myself with sadness. Keeping the emotion locked inside, I glanced over at Miss. All Sunday to make sure she hadn't seen any traces of it.

Thankfully, it didn't look like she had...

A few minutes later, we reached the end of the hall, which lead into what looked like an aquarium for all the huge Banana gators the boss loved so much. In the middle of the room stood a desk, and behind it, Crocodile; who had his back turned towards us, as he watched his precious pets.

"We're here Mr. 0" Miss. All Sunday said, as he finally turned to face us.

"Ah... Miss. All Sunday, and Miss. 13... Good work on completing your last missions." he said, as he smiled over at us both. "So, Miss. All Sunday, in your last report, you said that the Straw Hats were heading towards Little Garden." the boss inquired, as he looked over at Robin.

"Yes sir... If they head to that place, then we may not even have to lift a finger to eliminate them." Miss. All Sunday said, as I raised a brow at her. So Zoro was still alive then...

_Wait... Little Garden! If he goes there, and if he's not strong enough then he could die out there... So what do they need me for? Then again, if he survives..._ I thought, thinking it all over as a horrible realization hit me.

"Good, good... Send word to Mr. 3 to meet up with Mr. 5 and Miss. Valentine. As a team, they are to go to Little Garden and confirm the Straw Hat Pirates demise... If they, however prove unable to finish the job, then I'll be sending you Miss. 13, to eliminate both the ineffective number agents, their partners, and the pirates." He ordered with a sick smile.

Right away, I felt denial try to make it's way out of my mouth, to cause some sort of expression on my face. And yet, I found myself stamping it down. The ghost of a searing heat and pain throbbed on my lower back, where the brand was. It was a constant reminder for me to never screw around. That I still had things to loose.

Keeping my expression blank, I simply nodded once.

…...

_A Week Later..._

Sighing for the millionth time that week, I glared at whatever the hell was in front of me. A few days ago, Mr. 3 and his partner Miss. Goldenweek failed in their mission with Mr. 5 and Miss. Valentine to kill the straw hats.

Yesterday, we got a call back at Baroque Works HQ from some guy who claimed to be Mr. 3. However, he sounded suspicious. Not to mention that my subordinates, Mr. Otto, and Miss. Friday hadn't showed up, or reported in for a while.

So the boss has asked me to head to little garden to both confirm the situation, and kill whomever was left on the island. When I reached Little Garden, I would have to wait for Mr. 2 to show up. While I'm on my way to Little Garden, Mr. 2 is to come from the next island over. Which happened to be Alabasta, to make sure Mr. 3 hadn't escaped that way...

As the thought of what I'm going to have to do should I have to catch up with the pirate crew Zoro had joined flew through my mind, I felt an uneasy pang deep in my stomach...

I really didn't want to, but I knew that I had to kill Zoro...

If I didn't, then my father, and a village full of innocent people were going to die. However, he wouldn't have to go alone either. Once he's gone, I'll simply return to HQ and kill every member I can before I'm either put down, or I could end my life...

Hours later, I finally came upon Little Garden. Putting the eternal log pose I had for the island away, I tied my boat to a sturdy tree, and entered the island from the river that lead in from the ocean.

Finding the scene of the fight was an easy task. Especially if you followed the trail of wax all the way to where the fight had occurred. The trail lead to an open clearing, where a lot of melted wax laid on the ground. And from the looks of it, it looked like there was a huge puddle of blood mixed in with it.

Meaning that Mr. 3 was probably no longer among the living. If Mr. 2 didn't find him on his way here of course. It was the most logical explanation. After all, I had hoped that Zoro would have enough sense to NOT try and cut his legs off to escape Mr. 2 famous wax candle cake trap...

Either way, if the blood wasn't Zoro's, then Baroque Works would survive another day...

Wandering back into the forest, I looked for the wax house Mr. 2 always liked to build whenever he found himself sitting any where far away from civilization. Finding the white wax was easy among the sea of green.

Opening the door, the first impression I got from the wax house was abandonment. Pushing inside, I then noticed that a fight had also broken out. On the table sat a den den musi. A starving den den musi...

Looking past the poor little guy to the two heaps beneath the window, I felt my eyes widen as I took notice of the heaps on the floor near by the window. Going to them, I noticed a note on top of the things Mr. Otto and Miss. Friday normally liked to keep. It said.

_Miss. 13,_

_ Miss. Friday and I have no longer have a desire to work for this company. We also wish to not die, and go home to forget our lives as numbered agents. The man who sent that call was a fake by the way. He was posing as Mr. 3, when he was really one of the Straw Hat pirates, as we were guessing. _

_ Please tell the boss we were killed. Then again, us being animals by nature, it would be far too trouble some to hunt us down. Besides, we cannot talk, and people wouldn't believe us anyway. You were a great partner..._

_Signed,_

_Mr. 0tto..._

Sighing in aggravation, grabbed the den den mushi, and fed it. Once the little guy looked better, I stuck him in my pocket, and pulled out the note. Taking out a match, I lit it, and tossed it on the wax table.

The fire would melt the wax, and in turn the wax would collapse on top of it, and put it out soon. However, everything inside of it will be gone first.

Pulling out the den den mushi, I called the boss.

"Hello..." Said the familiar voice I would rather forget.

"It's Miss. 13 boss... I've reached Little Garden, however, there is no sight of Mr. 3 or the Straw Hats. At the moment, I'm waiting on Mr. 2 to arrive so that I can pursue the targets for elimination." I said in an emotionless voice. "I've also discovered the dead bodies of my subordinates Mr. Otto, and Miss. Friday. Their corpses have already been disposed of." I continued, the lie falling easily from my lips. It wasn't he first time I've done this anyway, so there was nothing new to it. The only times I hate this, is when I can't spare a life. Especially if the boss wanted me to bring a part of my targets back as proof to their demise.

"Any idea what happened?" the boss questioned then.

Glancing back at the melting wax house, I thought about telling him about the note.

"Not a clue... Though it is possible that Mr. 3 is dead. I'm not making any guarantees until I find his body and dispose of it..." I said, as I considered the possibility.

"Just be sure he's dead Miss. 13... You wouldn't want anyone from your village to suffer for your mistakes, now do you?" the boss threatened, as I threw the coldest death glare at the den den mushi, which coward back some. Seeing that helped me to keep my cool. Giving the poor little guy an apologetic look, I decided to respond.

"As long as I'm doing my job, you forget about my village." I snapped, in a mono tone. Which was only met with laughter.

"Of course Miss. 13... Wouldn't want you going on a rampage after all." the boss said, as he hung up on me.

Putting the den den mushi back in my pocket, I couldn't help but growl under my breath. He was right...

He destroyed my village, I would go crazy and kill everyone in my path. After all, the only way I survived Impel Down was to become just as feirce and fearsome as the people who were imprisoned there, the animals, and the guards. Not to mention that the animalistic reflexes I developed while there saved me multiple times from all of the traps.

Emptying my mind once again, I walked to the shore where Mr. 2 would be coming from. Sitting down on the grass as I waited, I began wondering how my father was doing, and what had happened since I was gone.

Right after I left, the boss made sure I knew what my village had thought had happened to me. He had Mr. 3 create a wax copy of me, and had Mr. 1, who could turn his body into a sharp weapon; make it look like another dojo had decided to take revenge on me for their defeat at the hands of my fathers. I don't remember any of this, because the two decided it would be a good idea to keep me knocked out while they covered their tracks.

Smart bastards did it to keep me from leaving an unknown trail for others to follow. Not that I would have anyway.

Zoro would have come after me back then, and gotten his ass killed. If he didn't get lost first... It was a wonder after all, that he didn't get lost in the village, or the training grounds.

_DON'T FLY OFF WHINNING AT THE MOUTH LIKE THAT AFTER YOU BEAT ME!_

I closed my eyes as that voice replayed I my mind.

_BECAUSE IT'S NOT FAIR! YOU'RE MY GOAL! DO YOU KNOW WHO THIS MAKES ME FEEL!? BOY THIS, GIRL THAT! ARE YOU GOING TO KEEP THAT TALK UP AFTER I BEAT YOU SOMEDAY? LIKE SKILL IS IRRELEVANT! THAT'S AN INSULT TO THE TRAINING I'VE POURED ONTO MYSELF DAY AFTER DAY! SO DON'T SAY THAT CRAP, WOULD YOU!?_

"Zoro..." I muttered to the wind... "I'm sorry... For breaking the promise.." I wished that I could say that to him now, but I know it's impossible. I've too much blood on my hands now to even try and keep it...

When I came out of Impel Down, and until now, it's like I've been both dead, and alive...

…...

"Achoo... DAMMITT! WHO IS TALKING SHI ABOUT ME THIS TIME!"

…...

Next Chapter: Chapter 2 – The Wado Ichimonji and the Kurozunda Chi

…...

I own nothing of One Piece! And I hope you enjoy this. I always wondered what it would be like if Kuina's death wasn't exactly as it seemed. I thought it was a bit sad, so I did this.

Oh, and a heads up, I'm not telling you who, but due to some very sad events later on, there will be some changes to the story line in this Fan Fic.

Thanks for reading!

Bugg18.


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